Timing device



Sept. 25, 1956 R. H. LEHDE 2,764,649

TIMING DEVICE Filed Jan. 26, 1955 1 INVENTOR. 54 M- M w Maw/Wm); BY

Eta/ 44 United States Patent TIMING DEVICE Richard H. Lehde, West Hartford, Conn.

Application January 26, 1955, Serial No. 484,112

3 Claims. (Cl. 200-113) This invention relates to timing device and is directed more particularly for timingthe connection of an appliance to an electrical power source.

The principal objects of the invention are the provision of a new and novel timing device for use in connection with various forms of appliances for connecting the same to a power source for a predetermined period of time.

As an example, the device is adapted for connecting an electric soup heating device to a source of energy for a predetermined period of time. It will be understood, however, that the device of the invention is adapted for use with appliances of various kinds.

According to one novel feature of the invention, the device is constructed and arranged to control the time cycle within narrow limits which is desirable in the use of most all appliances.

According to another feature of the invention, means is provided for quickly and easily starting the timing cycle and is characterized by a push button as distinguished from timing devices which are actuated by a rota-ting member.

The device is characterized by simplicity of construction and accuracy in operation, all to the end that an appliance may be connected to a source of energy for a desired and necessary predetermined length of time.

All of the above cited objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts thereof, as will fully appear by a perusal of the description below and by various specific features which will be hereinafter set forth.

To these above and other ends and with the foregoing and various other and ancillary features and advantages and objects of my invention as will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, my invention consists in certain features of novelty, in a mode of operation, and in the combination, organization, and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed and more fully described and referred to in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a timing device embodying the novel features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 1 with parts omitted for clearness; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lever of the invention.

Referring to the drawings more in detail the invention will now be fully described.

It will be understood that the device may be associated with or connected to various appliances, the form of the invention to be described being for purposes of disclosure merely.

A support has a rear plate 2 and a side plate 4 and an insulating member 6 is secured to the plate 2 by any suitable means such as rivets 8.

An operating slide 10 has an end portion 12 slidable in plate 4 and a slot 14 on its inner end is slidable on a screw 16. In Figs. 1 and 3 the slide is in inoperable circuit open position and carries a knob 12.

A shaft 18 is journalled at opposite ends in plate 2 and a bearing 20 and has fixed thereto an insulating barrel 22 on which is fixed a metal contact sleeve 24.

Bi-metal strip 26 has an inner end 28 fixed to the sleeve 24 and is coiled clockwise around said sleeve. An outer end portion 30 of the strip 26 is curved around counterclockwise with the extremity thereof fixed to a forwardly extending portion 32 of a lug 34 secured to the member 6.

The strip 26 is arranged so that when heated up as by the flow of current therethrough it winds up and rotates shaft 18 counterclockwise. As the strip 26 cools it unwinds so that said shaft may rotate clockwise.

According to the invention, current flows through said strip for an initial part of the timing cycle, subsequently current is cut off from the strip and the strip cools down. There is therefore a heating and a cooling period which constitute the timing cycle.

By selecting a certain bi-metal strip and arranging the turns thereof as set forth, it is possible to close and open a circuit in such a manner as to obtain very accurate time cycles. It has been discovered that by arranging the strip as described that very desirable results are obtainable in that successive time cycles are accurate and uniform.

A cam is fixed to the shaft 18 which is provided with a stud 42 on its side adjacent plate 2 and with a radial slot 44.

A lever 48 on the rear side of plate 2 is pivoted thereto at 48' and has a leg 50. A spring 52 connected at opposite ends to the leg and an anchor 54 urges lever 48 counterclockwise.

A secondary lever 56 is journalled on a stud 58 of lever 46 and carries a disc 60 of insulating material and a pin 60' which is disposed in the slot 44 of member 49.

The slide 10 has a forwardly projecting post 62 formed from insulating material which is engageable with the upper end 64 of a resilient con-tact 66. Said contact has a lower end fixed with a lug 68 to member 6.

A resilient contact 70 engageable by contact 66 is secured with the end of a wiper 71 to the member 6 and the end of the wiper is in wiping contact with the contact sleeve 24 of shaft 18.

A contact 72 has a lower end fixed to the member 6 with the lug 34 and is engageable with the contact 66. The slide 10 has a shoulder 76 and a notch 78, see Figs. 3 and 4.

It will be assumed that lugs are in one side of a line connecting an appliance and a source of energy. In operation of the device contacts 66 and 70 are initially engaged for the strip heating portion of the timed cycle and subsequently contacts 72 and 66 are engaged for the strip cooling portion and completion of the cycle.

The parts are in the inoperative position in Figs. 1 and 3.

For a cycle of operation slide 10 is moved inwardly so that the shoulder 76 thereof abuts stud 42 of cam 40 and swings the cam counterclockwise. Said stud 42 passes off the shoulder and enters notch 78 of the slide and member 62 of the slide moves resilient contact 66 into engagement with contact 70 whereby current flows from lug 68 and contact 70 through wiper 71 to sleeve 24 and through the bi-metal strip to lug 34. The cam 40 is in the so-called heating position.

In the said heating position of cam 40 the pin 60' of lever 56 follows inwardly of the slot 44 of the cam whereby said lever 56 swings clockwise and so that lever 48 swings clockwise against the pull of spring 52. The upper end 64 of resilient contact 66 acts on the part 62 of the slide tending to move it to the inoperative position shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

As the bi-metal strip heats up it tends to wind up relative to shaft 1% thereby to rotate shaft 13 counterclockwise. Power is built up in the coiled strip to the extent the cam 4- 9 is rotated sufficiently to cause stud 42 to leave notch 78 of the slide so that the slide 10 is moved outwardly or to the right by contact 66 and contacts 70 and 66 are disengaged and contacts a6 and 72 are engaged by action of disc 60. Thus the strip heating portion of the cycle ends and the strip cooling portion of the cycle begins.

Current now flows directly between contacts 66 and 72 Wherefor the strip commences to cool and thereby unwind so as to rotate the cam clockwise.

The movement of the cam 40 clockwise is assisted to the extent desired by the spring biased lever 4%. As the strip cools and cam 40 moves clockwise lever 56 swings counterclockwise and in a certain position thereof the insulating disc 60 allows contact '72 to move away from contact 66 breaking the circuit and ending the cycle. Thus a circuit is closed and opened accordingly as the bi-metal strip is heated by a flow of current and is subsequently cooled. By the arrangement of the bi-metal strip time cycles may be predetermined and uniform in duration.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent f the United States is:

1. Timing apparatus for connecting an electrically operated appliance to a source of energy comprising in combination, a support, a pair of terminal lugs for connecting in one side of a line between a source of energy and an appliance, a shaft journalled on said support having a contact barrel fixed thereto, a loosely coiled bi-metal coil around said barrel having opposite ends connected to one of said lugs and to said barrel adapted during heating up by flow of energy therein to wind up and rotate said shaft in a heating direction and during cooling to unwind and rotate said shaft in an opposite cooling direction, a. first movable contact connected to said one lug, a second movable contact connected to the other lug, a third contact in contact with said barrel, operating means for moving said second contact into releasable contact with said third contact for a heating period of said coil, actuating means operable by said shaft on rotation thereof in heating direction to render said operating means inoperative for disengagement of said second and third contacts and to move said first contact into releasable contact with said second contact whereby said lugs are connected through said contacts for cooling of said coil and rotation of said shaft in cooling direction and to release contact between said first and second contacts on cooling of said coil.

2. Timing apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said operating means includes a manually engageable member reciprocable in said support.

3. Timing apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuating means includes a cam on said shaft engaging swingable lever means for acting on said second contact.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,325,551 Scharf July 27, 1943 2,436,735 Walder et al. Feb. 24, 1948 2,533,410 Trad Dec. 12, 1950 2,564,321 Brosseau Aug. 14, 1951 

